Paul Lynch

A large tank belonging to a Northamptonshire firm was part of an elaborate stunt outside the BBC headquarters this afternoon to protest over the suspension of Top Gear presenter Jeremy Clarkson.

The army vehicle, which brandishes the logo of Helmdon firm Tanks Alot, has been seen driving through the capital today in order to hand a petition just shy of one million signatures to BBC bosses in support of the cult car show’s host, who was suspended last week following a ‘fracas’ with a producer.

A man dressed as The Stig, an enigmatic helmet-wearing ‘tamed’ racing driver who features in Top Gear, has handed the petition in at Broadcasting House, in Marleybone, London.

The stunt, organised by political blog Guido Fawkes, aims to see Clarkson reinstated and has gathered one million names on the petition in just over a week.

Harry Cole, a writer for the Guido Fawkes website told the Chronicle and Echo that the popular blog wanted to ‘park a tank on the lawn of the BBC’ to voice its dissent over the presenter’s suspension and had heard of Tanks Alot because the Nothamptonshire firm had been involved in other publicity stunts in the past.

“It has gone brilliantly,” he added. “The people that hate Clarkson are upset about it and the people that love him are thrilled about it.”

However, organisers almost had to call the stunt off when the tank broke down just short of its intended destination.